Just the Way it Was
by Beachedking
Summary: MAJOR SPOILERS for Chapter 7 of Puyo Puyo Tetris! Tee challenged Ex to a battle and Ex truly didn’t hold back. A bad ending of sorts if Tee didn’t win that battle.


The battle was a difficult one, after all Ex had promised he wouldn't hold back, but Tee was trying his hardest too. Back and back's passing everywhere, tetraminos falling efficiently in place, spells being cast. Both parties occasionally glanced at each other and their rows then back at what they were doing.

Ex knew his moves, but the kid knew his too. He was a fine Tetris King, but the gray-haired man couldn't allow this. The rules were fair and square, if Tee won he'd be the Keeper. That was too horrid to think about. The boy living a life of loneliness and solitude, he shouldn't go through that. He didn't know what he was setting himself up to.

That's why he couldn't fail this. If Ex failed this, no, he didn't want to imagine it. The years he's faced, selfishly feeling depressed and truly forgotten, he doesn't believe anything should go through that. Tee would NOT go through that.

The keeper absolutely wants everyone to know him again, his daughter, his friends, but he's not sure if everything could go back to the way it was. It probably can't. If you forget a memory, it's forever lost right? You can't possibly recall it as your mind is blank at the subject. Is it hidden underneath? Who knows.

He's meant to be this way, he's empty inside about it, but he had to accept it. It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, but...

He gives Tee a pained glance, but quickly turns back to his board. Two back to backs is all he needs and—

The game is over.

The captain staggers back a bit, "What?!" His purple eyes are round as wide as a Big Puyo. His friends about have the same expressions, perhaps they look a little more relieved to not losing their friend.

Ex shakes his head and sighs, "You aren't good enough to beat me, Tee. Go home with your friends."

"But it's the—" Tee attempts to say but the gray-haired man cuts him off.

"No. You lost. You have to go home. I can fix the dimensions, you may be a responsible kid, but I'm the Keeper. I have to do this." Ex walks up to the captain, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder. He can't help but give a sad smile to his old friend, even if there's no understanding of why between one of them.

Tee wants to say something else, his expression says all. He doesn't want to leave. He's opened his mouth a few times but it keeps closing.

"Come on, Tee. The guy clearly knows what he's doing." Ess snaps, "Even if he's doing a terrible job at it." Ex can't give but a sad smile back to her. She was always quite like that, not to him, but he understands. It was his fault for the awful awful mess.

"But we can't just leave him!" The girl in the red beanie cries.

"We can't leave Tee either, Amitie." The girl with the red hair and the apple replies.

"Gu~Gu!" The little bunny creature cries, with the other redhead in armor replies with a "I don't know, Carby! Nothing's going anywhere!"

O seems to try to suggest an idea too, "Pipi! Pipipi!"

It seems like a lose-lose situation for everyone doesn't it? Though the quicker they leave the faster they'll forget him and won't come back. Ex doesn't want the company he's had in years to go but they just can't stay. He quickly thinks of an idea.

"I'll tell you all what. If you go back down, get stronger, and come back. We can battle again if it's truly what you want." Ex lets go of Tee's shoulder. Tee furrows his brow but the battle was truly fair, and gives a loud sigh.

"I have to do this though Ex."

Ex doesn't say anything. What is there to say? He doesn't know, but he swallows the pain he feels deep inside his heart.

"You'll get stronger. I promise. You did great."

It takes what feels like days of convincing all of them, even a few battles but eventually what's done is done. He really, really doesn't want them to do this but there's no choice. They start to go back to the Tetra, and Ex gives another heartbroken smile.

"Don't worry about me, just keep sending those reports." He whispers as he sees the spaceship fly off. Now, he goes off to fix his mistake, close up the rip, and soon everything will be back to normal. They'll forget him and it'll be back to way everything was once again.


End file.
